You
Good evening and welcome to Verity Baptist Church. Let's go ahead
And find our seats this evening
Find the seats and find a hymnal close to you and turn to page number 296
Song number 296
We're gonna open the service with follow on
Down in the valley with my savior, I would go song number 296
We're gonna sing it out
On the first
Down in the valley with my savior. I would go
Where the flowers are blooming and the sweet waters flow?
Everywhere he leads me I would follow follow on
Walking in his footsteps till the ground be one
Follow follow I would follow jesus anywhere everywhere I would follow on
Follow follow I would follow jesus
Everywhere he leads me I would follow on song number 296 on the second
Down in the valley with my savior. I would go
Where the storms are sweeping and the dark waters flow with his length. Give me I will never never fear
My lord is here
Follow follow I would follow jesus anywhere everywhere I would follow on
follow follow
Everywhere he leads me I would follow on hope you guys have warmed up you're actually singing well
But you can do better. All right, so song number 296. Let's finish strong on the third
Down in the valley or upon a mountain sea
Close beside my savior would my soul ever keep he will lead me safely in that path that he has trod
Out to where they gathered on the hills of god
follow follow
I would follow jesus
I would follow on
Follow follow I would follow jesus everywhere. He leads me I would follow on
Amen great singing welcome to the wednesday evening service here at verity baptist church
We're glad to see everyone here this evening. Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer dear heavenly father lord
And we thank you again for the opportunity to come out this church this evening lord
Thank you for the people that are here lord to
Spend some time lord to sing for you and to hear your words preach pray that you bless the service bless
The rest of the evening and we love you and jesus. I pray amen. All right, turn to page number 377
Song number 377
It's a soul winning song
So if you're a soul winner, you better sing out. All right song number 377
Rescue the perishing sing it out on the first
Rescue the perishing care for the dying snatch them in pity from sin and the grave
We pour the airing once lifts up the fallen
Tell them of jesus the mighty to save
rescue the perishing care for the dying
jesus is merciful
Jesus will sing
Though they are sliding him still he is waiting waiting for penitence out to receive
Bleed with him earnestly bleed with him gently
Rescue the perishing care for the dying jesus is merciful
Jesus will save on a third
Down in the human heart crushed by the tempter
Feelings lie buried and grace can restore
Touched by a loving heart awakened by kindness boards that are broken will vibrate once more
rescue the perishing
Jesus is merciful
Jesus will say sing it out on the last
Rescue the perishing to be demanding strength for thy labor the lord will provide
Back to the narrow way patiently win them tell the poor wonder a savior has died
Rescue the perishing care for the dying jesus is merciful
Jesus will say amen great singing
Amen well we welcome you to the midweek service here at ready Baptist Church. We're glad you're with us
Let's go ahead and take our bulletins
We'll look at some announcements real quickly
If you did not receive a bulletin on your way in just raise your hand and one of our ushers can get one for
You if need a bulletin just put your hand up and we'll get one for you the verse this week
Is Proverbs 28 5 evil men understand not judgment, but they that seek the Lord understand all
Things and that's a good verse that we like that if you open up your bullets, and you'll see our service times
Sunday morning service at 10 30 a.m. And
We do invite you to be with us of course on Sunday morning on the Lord's Day for Church this coming Sunday is a
Special service, and we'll talk a little bit about that here in a minute Sunday evening service 6 p.m
And then the Wednesday evening Bible study if you look at our so many times our main so many times on
Saturday mornings at 10 a.m. And then we have additional sewing times on Thursdays Fridays and Sundays at 2 p.m
So if you'd like to go sewing during any of those times
We'll have an opportunity for you to be able to do that
We of course are a family integrated church what that means is that children and infants are always welcomed in the service
We do not separate children from their parents for any reason
We do have mother baby rooms and daddy rooms available for your convenience
So if you have a child that's been distracting during the service
So if you need some privacy, we would encourage you to use those rooms as needed if you need to be baptized
Please let us know you can let us know on your communication card
And we will follow up with you in regards to that if you look at the announcements and upcoming events
Of course, if you finish nine chapters a day, and you've not yet told us about it
Please make sure you do that on your communication card
And then just the big events is this Friday February 10th at 6 30 p.m.
We're having our married couple sweetheart banquet and it's gonna be a lot of fun
I don't I don't remember the number but I think we've got like
30 30 or 35 couples signed up signed up for the married couple sweetheart banquets
So that'll be a good time. We'll have a nice dinner together
I'll be preaching a short sermon and then we'll play the not so newlywed game and it's just it's just fun
I think sometimes couples they think too hard on these things and it's just a game and it'll be fine
The questions are silly. They're not some deep question. We're not gonna ask you to reveal some personal information
Alright, but it'll be a good time and
the couples that the couple that wins gets a $50 gift card to the Cheesecake Factory and
We'd love for you to sign up or actually you the deadlines already passed
You can't sign up, but I want to remind you that you need to that
It's this Friday. So don't forget about that starts at 6 30
And then of course this Sunday is I love my church Sunday
You should have one of these cards there in your bulletin and we are gonna have a special
Service we'd love for you to join us
Of course
We need you to be here and then we want you to invite someone someone want to be thinking about
Somebody that you can invite to church on Sunday if you've been looking for a reason to invite somebody to church
For you soul winners. This is a good time
If you've got someone that you've been following up with this gives you an excuse to call them or contact them
You can take a picture of this and send it to them
We're gonna have bags of pink vanilla and caramel Valentine's Day popcorn for your family in attendance
The choir will be singing the orchestra have special music. And of course, I'll be preaching a special
I love my church Sunday sermon that morning and in the evening. We're having a potluck after the evening service
So after the evening service in the fellowship hall, we'll have a potluck and I want to ask you
To make sure that you come that you are here and that you bring
Food and that you bring enough food for your family and to share. All right, that's the only way a potluck works
If five of you show up with nothing that doesn't help
So make sure you bring enough food for yourself and to share
That would be great or if three of you or if one of you single guys show up with nothing now
I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. The single guys can show up with nothing. Nobody expects anything from them anyway, but everybody else
Please help us with that and we appreciate it
Anyway now they're gonna show up with a bunch of stuff good good. All right. I don't know why we're talking about this announcements
ladies are invited to a baby shower miss a Jana Saturday, February 25th 3 p.m. And
She is having a boy. She's registered on Amazon. They're having a potluck. They never have problems at these baby showers with potlucks
So just saying they do the job with that homeschool group
They've got Valentine's Day party on Tuesday, February 14th
My wife has a handout for that if you need it and
They've got P class on Thursday, February 16th other things there for you to look at
Please don't forget to turn your cell phones off and place them on silent during the service
They're not a distraction to anybody
If you look at the back of the bulletin birthdays and anniversaries for the month of February
We had a Miss Katie Rosenberg's birthday was on February 6th, Joanna
Nello Tesco's birthday was yesterday February 7th. Miss Courtney Reuben had a birthday yesterday, February 7th
Laurel Reuben has a birthday on February 10th
And miss Lisa sweet and has a birthday on February 11th. Praise report money matters
All those things are there for you to look at and I think that's it for all of the announcements
So we're gonna go ahead and sing page number three zero eight
308 I surrender all as we prepare to receive the offering this evening
308 I surrender all
To Jesus I surrender sing it out on the first all to Jesus. I
Surrender all to him. I freely
Love and trust him in his presence daily
Surrender all I
Surrender all
All to me my blessed Savior I
Surrender all 308 sing it out on the second all to Jesus I surrender
Surrender
Worldly pleasures all forsaken
Jesus take me now. I surrender all
All to thee my blessed Savior I
surrender
308 we're gonna sing it out on the third. I'm gonna ask the the piano to just slow it down
Just a little bit. Let's sing it with some purpose on the third all
to Jesus I
Surrender make me save your holy
thine
Let me feel the Holy Spirit
Spirit
No, that are my I surrender all
All to thee my blessed Savior I
Surrender good singing out on the last all to Jesus
Surrender Lord, I give myself to the
Fill me with my love and power
By blessing fall on me I surrender all
Oh
All to be my blessed Savior I surrender
Amen good singing we'll have the guys come up and help us with the offering at this time
And let's go ahead and bow our heads and have a word of prayer
Heavenly Father Lord we do come to you tonight asking you bless the offering Lord
We pray that you bless the gift and the giver
Pray Lord that you would bless the time that we have set aside for prayer and for the preaching of your word in Jesus name
We pray amen
You
Amen all right well I've got a baptism certificate to hand out real quickly before we get into our prayer
sheet and
The this certificate of baptism is awarded to Ada
Moncio Sanchez and recognition of her baptism on the 15th day of January of the year 2023
Presented by Verity Baptist Church and has the verse Romans 6 4 therefore
We are buried with him a baptism
into that that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we should walk in
units of life
And we've got some pictures here for Ada to remember the day of her baptism and let's go ahead and give her a round
of applause
Okay
Praise the Lord for that and
Let's go and take our prayer sheets tonight if you did not get a prayer sheet on your way in just raise your hand
And one of our ushers can get one for you if need a prayer sheet
Just put your hand up
and we will get one for you, and I would like you to write in a request if you would not mind and
This is a request for some of you may not
Know him some of you may remember him
But missionary Dave kabuntala is a missionary that we support here at Verity Baptist Church and
He I don't know if you remember him, I don't know how long we've been supporting him
I think we've been supporting him since like
2015 and
I remember this was before the new IFB really did any sort of mission stuff
And I was praying that I want our church to support a missionary, but I want support
I didn't mind an old IFB missionary, but I just wanted to make sure it was the right guy remember that week
I was praying my wife, and I were out of town. I was preaching somewhere, and I got an email
From him and there was a video and the video said
He didn't go to Bible college
And it talked a lot about soul winning and I said I like this guy
and I got a hold of him and he came and preached here and he's a good guy and
He's been over in Cebu for years now
We've been supporting him for a while doing a good work there and his wife
miss angel kabuntala was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and
so we're just praying for
Her to be able to beat this and praying for the ministry there of course for brother Dave and for he's got two sons
So if you would not mind just adding him and you may not even know him, but our church does support them
We've been doing it for years. So please be in prayer for
Them let's go ahead and take these requests the Lord
I'll pray out loud, and I would ask that you would follow along in your mind in your heart
Let's pray together. Heavenly Father Lord. We come to you
tonight asking for these requests from our church family and
Lord we begin with these health requests we pray for brother Ron of course
That you would help him to with his health to get better, and he just got
transferred to a rehab facility and
Pray that you would help him
I think he's gonna be there for about a month. I pray you'd help him to get the help. He needs and to be able to
get back home soon and
help him to recover from the stroke that he had and
We pray for brother Joe Maples praying for Joe jr. For his healing. We pray for Jeffrey love who's praying for
His cousin's Laurie's daughter who is currently in the hospital after a car accident
We're asking Lord that you would help the the daughter to get better to get
The help that she needs Lord we pray for brother Aldo praying for healing for his co-worker Dave who has cancer
James villa praying for health for his friend Martin
Miss Christine Ortiz praying for healing for herself and her left leg also from a minor stroke that she had last week and
Brother Salvador praying for his health. Ms. Dogma praying for her
relief and her pain and
Of course praying for little you're at sea to continue to be healthy and strong Lord
We ask for all these individuals. We pray that you put your healing hand over them
And Lord we pray that you would help them to get better
We ask that you would give wisdom to the nurses dealing with them and Lord we ask that you would
Heal them were relief pain that you would help them to get out of the hospital
And then Lord we pray for the kabuntala family
For missionary Dave kabuntala and his wife angel and Lord we we pray
For her specifically she's been diagnosed with breast cancer and
Lord we're asking that the cancer would would be localized and not spread and we're asking for wisdom and
discernment
for both the doctors and nurses that are dealing with them and for
Brother Dave and for his wife as they consider the different options that they
would need to take
Lord we ask for complete healing and Lord we understand that we have to pray according to your will but Lord
We are joining together and asking that if it be your will
That you would put your healing hand over her help her to recover completely from this
Or the ministry stressful isn't and it's stressful enough and to have to be dealing with something like this on top of all the other
Responsibilities can be overwhelming and what we ask that you would please be with the kabuntala family at this time
I thank you that their spirits are good and Lord
I ask that you would heal his wife Lord
I ask that you would help them to know that there are people that are praying for them care about them
Love them what I pray that you would use this
We know that all things work together for good and we pray that you'd use it in their lives
but we also pray for these that have requests dealing with
family members and salvation
For the blotting miss Antonina praying for their family salvation and miss Natalie praying for the salvation of her husband and family
Evan Smith praying for the salvation of his friends who are gonna be visiting from out of town and a couple of weeks
Brother, although praying for the salvation of his parents and grandparents miss Christine praying for her children and grandchildren's salvation
And miss dogma praying for her daughter and her family salvation Lord. We ask that you would please
Be with all of these individuals Lord
We pray that you
Would help these individuals to come to the place where they would be willing to hear the gospel to hear from you
We pray that a soul winner would clearly communicate the gospel to them or we pray that they might
Be saved and then Lord we pray that for these that are having requests for their family members
We pray for miss Kathy graves praying for herself and her family and also for brother max praying for safe travel as he visits his family
this month and
Lord also, we're praying for brother Salvador for his family and Lord asking that you would bless all these individuals
We have a praise report from brother Ike that
His girls are doing well in school got good remarks from their teachers for great behavior
And thank you for that and Lord we pray for the ladies in our church that are expecting
For miss May and miss a Jana the Schuyler miss Karen miss Ava and miss Rebecca
We ask that you to give them all healthy pregnancies with no issues and no
Complications Lord we pray for miss Christine Ortiz and brother Salvador for their
Walk with you and Lord we pray for their finances and work that you've blessed them and help them in regards to those situations
the Lord we pray for these that have unspoken requests miss Tamara and miss Denise miss Laura Beth miss Natalie and
Brother Salvador miss dogma all having unspoken requesting, you know what their petitions are
You know what they're asking for Lord. We pray that you would please answer according to your will
Lord we ask for our
church we pray for the prison ministry and for the families that are being impacted to that then you would continue to bless and
Help or we pray for the upcoming events coming up for our church for this weekend
the I love my church Sunday and also
For the next generation youth rally coming up in the vision offering Lord
We pray that you would bless these events
We pray that you would help us to use these events to further the work of God and that people would come to church
And then Lord up for I love my church Sunday
I pray you'd give us guests that would get saved and that we could
Help them grow in the Lord and be disciple Lord. I pray for this youth rally
I pray for the 50-plus teens that have registered to come and spend a couple of days with us
To pray Lord you to help everybody be safe help everybody. Have a good time the Lord
I specifically pray for the preaching that all that they'll hear
The short sermons in the morning and the full length sermons in the evening
So Lord that you would work on the hearts of these young people or that they might
Give their lives to you and walk with you and be right with you
And what I asked for the vision offering that we have coming up that you would bless the vision offering that you'd help us
to
Be able to give sacrificially and that we might be able to continue to further the work that we're accomplishing here
What I asked for our church here in Sacramento
And for our church plants in Manila from Pong and B. Cole what I asked that you would
Bless these locations and help these locations
And then Lord I ask for tonight as we take some time to look at another chapter of the Word of God
I pray that this time would not be wasted
I pray that you'd prepare the hearts of everybody that's here tonight
That we might hear from you that we might receive your word and that we might respond to it in the matchless name of Christ
We pray amen
Please open up to Amos chapter number four
Amos chapter number four
If you need about put your hand up in one of these we're gonna bring your Bible
Amos chapter number four if you need about keep your hand up and she'll come by
Amos chapter number four we will read the entire chapter as our custom
Amos 4 beginning verse number one
Hear this word ye kind of patient that are in the mountain of Samaria
Which oppressed the poor which crushed the needy which say to their masters bring and let us drink
The Lord God is sworn by his holiness that lo the days shall come upon you
But he will take you away with hooks and your posterity with flash fish hooks
And he shall go out at the beaches
Breaches every cow at that which is before her he shall cast him into the palace saith the Lord
Come to Bethel and transgress at Gilgal multiply transgression and bring your sacrifices
Every morning and your tides after three years and offer sacrifice of Thanksgiving with leaven and proclaim and publish
The free offerings for this like if you owe you children of Israel say it the Lord God
And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities and want to have bread in all your places
Yet have ye not returned unto me saith the Lord and also I have withholding the rain from you
When there were yet three months to the harvest and I caused it to rain upon one city and caused it not to rain upon
Another city one piece was rained upon and the peace were upon it rained not withered
So two or three cities wandered unto one city to drink water, but they were not satisfied
Yet have ye not returned unto me saith the Lord I have smitten you with blasting and mildew
When your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased the Palmer worm devoured them
Yet have ye not returned unto me saith the Lord
I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt your young men
Have I slain with a sword and I've taken away your horses and I've made the stink of your camps to come up
unto your nostrils
Yet have ye not returned unto me saith the Lord I have overthrown some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah
He were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning yet. Have ye not returned unto me saith the Lord
And therefore thus will I do unto thee Oh Israel and because I'll do this this unto thee prepare to meet thy God
Oh Israel for lo he that formeth the mountains and created the wind and the clearest and to man
What is his thought that make it the morning darkness and tread upon the high places of the earth?
The Lord the God of hosts is his name. Let's pray Heavenly Father. Thank you for this evening
God, I thank you for your word and for a church from that's here as he please
Give us all a tender heart to the message tonight
God as he please be the pastor to strengthen them and from their spirit. We love you and I just need pray. Amen
Amen
Alright, we're there in the book of Amos Amos chapter number four
And of course on Wednesday nights, we are making our way through the book of Amos. We are in a chapter by chapter
study taking one chapter a night and
Tonight we find ourselves in the second of three sermons in
chapter
If you remember last week, I brought up to you that in chapters three four and five. We've got three different sermons
and then Amos preaches towards the northern kingdom of Israel and
All three sermons if you remember begin with this phrase
Hear this word if you notice there in Amos chapter 4 and verse 1 the Bible says hear this word
If you just flip back real quickly to Amos chapter 3 and verse 1
He says hear this word and if you look at Amos chapter 5
He says hear this word
So we've got these three sermons in these three chapters chapter 3 chapter 4 chapter 5 and tonight
We're are in the second of this little mini series that Amos is preaching to the northern kingdom of Israel and
Tonight we're looking at a chapter that has 13 verses not very long
However the chapter
Can be structured or divided into four different sections and that's what I'm gonna do tonight
I'm just gonna walk you through this chapter and give you the four different sections and I'll give you
the titles that I've given to the four sections in these chapters and the
Titles are taken from the text itself and sometimes every once in a while
You'll be reading through the Bible and there'll be a little phrase that just kind of pops out at you
And a lot of times when that happens for me
I end up preaching an entire sermon maybe just from that phrase or the
Inspiration of that phrase in this chapter
there are several of those types of phrases and I'll point them out to you and each one of them serves as a
Heading for each section of this chapter
So if you're taking notes tonight
And I always encourage you to take notes on the back of your course the week
There's a place for you to write down some things
And I want you to notice that the first section that we can divide this chapter into is
verses one through three and
If you're looking for a heading or if you'd like to outline it the first section heading can be titled
kind of
bation ye kind of
Bation if you notice there in Amos chapter 4 and verse 1 Amos says hear this word
ye kind of bation the word kind is a
Older word maybe an archaic word, which is not really used in our modern vernacular today
it is the plural form of
Cow of saying the word cow well you and I would would look at a cow
Singularly and say there's a cow and then we might say you know there's cows
I don't know. There's cattle the word kind is just a plural way of speaking of
cows and here
We see Amos
calling the people of the northern kingdom of Israel the people are being called by Amos as
Though they are cattle. He is calling them kind
He also calls them a cow notice there again verse 1 hear this word ye kind of bation
That are in the mountains of Samaria
Which oppress the poor which crush the needy which say to their masters bring and let us drink
The Lord God has sworn by his holiness that lo the days shall come upon you that he will take you away with hooks and
Fish hooks and he shall go out at the breeches notice this little phrase
Every cow at that which is before her and he shall cast them into the palace
Sayeth the Lord so I want you to notice that he begins this sermon by calling the people cows
Saying you are kind. He says you are like a cow now as you would imagine
This is not a term of flattery
This is not something that you call someone and they think you are giving them a compliment. He is
Really insulting them, but I want you to understand that to them
This would resonate a little bit because not only does he begin by calling the people he he calls the people
kind and cows
But he is calling the people
cows
who live in an area known for producing fat cattle and here's what I want you to understand that the
people that Amos is speaking to
Live in an area that is known for producing fat cattle. Look at Amos chapter 4 and verse 1 again
He says hear this word ye kind of bation
Ye kind of bation that word bation or that location bation might sound a little familiar to you
Because it's in a very well-known passage of Scripture a very well-known
prophetic passage of Scripture keep your place there in Amos that's our text for tonight and go with me if you would to the
Book of Psalms Psalm 22 if you open your Bible just right in the center
You're more than likely fall in the book of Psalms Psalm 22
In Psalm 22 we have a very famous prophecy of the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ
and
I'm not preaching about that or making any comments about that. I just want to point out that in that prophecy
The Bible says in Psalm 22 in verse 12
This is a prophecy of the Lord Jesus Christ of his death. This is an illustration, but he says many bulls
Which of course this is referring to cat cattle many bulls have compass me and then notice what the psalmist says
he says strong bulls of bation have beset me round and
Bation is a location that is known for producing kind
cattle
Bulls here. We're told that the strong bulls of bation have beset me around
Let me give you another example go to Ezekiel 39
If you would there is Ezekiel 39 over there if you're there in Psalms
You'll go past Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel the last of those major prophets
Ezekiel 39 in verse 18
Ezekiel 39 18 notice what the Bible says here the prophet says he shall eat the flesh of the mighty and
drink the blood of the princes of the earth of rams of lambs and of goats of bullocks
Which is again referring to bulls or cattle notice what he says all of them
fatlings of bation
So I want you to notice that this location bation is known for producing fat
fatlings fat cows
strong bulls
healthy big fat bulls and we're talking about a bull and a cow and we're and we're talking about
The kind of cow we want to see what kind of cow do you want to see once you a fat cow?
You don't want a skinny cow like in the in the the dream that Pharaoh had you want to see the strong
cattle and this area is known for producing fat cattle and
Amos is being a little bit sarcastic. We'll see here that God is being sarcastic in this chapter a little bit and he's
talking to people
who are known for
Raising cattle producing cattle. They're known for having fat cattle fatlings of bation
Bulls strong bulls of bation
so he refers to them as kind and as a and as cows and really he's referring to them as fat cows and
You know, I only bring that up to say this if you're ever offended by my preaching at least
I've never called you a fat cow
At least not to your face and
This is how Amos begins his sermon by referring to these people as
fat cows go to Amos chapter 4
Now of course in
The ancient world and even in our world today if you have fat cattle is you're probably rich
You have to be pretty wealthy to to have cattle even in our world today and in the ancient world for sure
This is how they measured wealth. So he's calling them this because of the fact that they're rich
They're rich from this cattle that they have they're known for producing these
these fatlings of bation these strong bulls of bation
these bullocks and they are rich as a result and really what
Amos is doing because if you remember the theme of the book of Amos is that it matters how we treat people and
The theme of Amos is Amos is really preaching a lot of his preaching is geared towards rich
prosperous people that are being cruel and oppressing the poor and
They're becoming rich as a result of it and Amos is saying you're rich
Because of this cattle that you have but he says really the jokes on you because when God looks at you
He sees a fat cow
He sees a heifer he sees kine he sees this cattle
Notice there in verse 1 the people had grown fat like their cattle in
their prosperity
Why did they grow fat they gained their wealth and?
Affluence by oppressing others look look at verse 1 again hear this word you kind of bation
Ye are in the mountains of Samaria notice what he says which oppressed the poor
Which crushed the needy these people had not gotten their wealth
Through honest means they've not gotten their wealth by simply working hard obviously
There's nothing wrong with being wealthy if you're honest and you have integrity and you work hard
But these people had oppressed the poor they had crushed the needy they gained their wealth and
Affluence by oppressing others, and they use their wealth and
Affluence to pursue sinful pleasures
Notice again verse 1 and so far. We've only looked at verse 1
I promise we're gonna get through the whole chapter
But there's a lot just in this one verse hear this word you kind of bation that are in the mountains of Samaria
Which oppressed the poor and crushed the needy notice what he says he says about these rich people
He says which say to their masters bring and let us drink
He said these people have gotten fat they've grown fat in their prosperity
They've gained their wealth through the affluence by oppressing others
They oppressed the poor they crushed the needy and they use their wealth and affluence to pursue sinful pleasures
Which say to their masters bring and let us drink
And look people try to act like the Bible's archaic or it's out of date
But the Bible is just as relevant today as it is any other day
Because in the United States of America today, you know what we have a bunch of fat cows a bunch of prosperous people and
There are bars all over the city tonight where people are saying these words bring and let us drink
Is that what people are saying at bars tonight?
Is that what people are saying at casinos tonight aren't they saying bring a lot of strength are they saying bring us another drink?
Bring us another drink and Amos says these rich
Prosperous people are using the prosperity that God gave them to say bring and let us drink bring us another drink
Let me tell you something, especially you young people. Listen up never be in a place where people are saying bring us another drink
Unless you want God to look down at you and look at you as a fat cow a
kind and a heifer
The Old Testament prophets would often use these illustrations to
illustrate and to represent a
box-slit in
Believer you're there in Amos if you go to the book of Hosea real quick
Let me give you an example of that. If you go backwards, you've got the book of Joel and then the book of Hosea
Notice what Hosea says to the children of Israel Hosea chapter 4 and verse 16
Hosea 4 16 for Israel
I love the
The picture that he paints here
He says for Israel slightest back you ever heard of this phrase backslidden
This is where we get the phrase from
Israel slightest back as a backsliding heifer
Say what the heifer it's a cow
What's kind it's a cow
The picture here is a big fat cow
Trying to make its way up a hill and it's sliding back and that's what Hosea is saying about the people of God
And that's what preachers today
Say about the people of God today when you backslide when you are doing less for God today than you were doing yesterday
When you are doing worse for God today than you were doing yesterday
You are like a backslidden heifer a cow trying to make it so
Weigh up a hill but it's so heavy with its own fat
And it slides back
Let me tell you something oftentimes prosperity is the worst thing that could happen to a Christian
They get so fat with themselves
They can no longer walk with God they're like a backslidden heifer
Backsliding in their own weight and prosperity
Go back to Amos chapter 4
Look at verse 2
Notice what the prophet says
He says I he says and here's what he's saying and we're gonna get to it
It's gonna become clear here as we continue in this chapter
God is reminding them that he is the one that gave them the land that allows them to have the cattle
He is the one that gave them the cattle
He's the one that gave them the health
He's the one that gave them prosperity and they have now taken this prosperity upon themselves and like their cattle is fat
They have become fat in their own prosperity
They are like a backslidden heifer and God says okay, you want to act like a cow you want to be like a cow?
That's fine. Then he says the people are going to be let away like cattle
notice verse 2
The Lord God has sworn by his holiness
That lo the days shall come upon you that he will take you away with hooks and your
Posterity, this is the descendants of the persons. He says with fish hooks and
history books tell us that the Assyrian
Nation was known for this that they would take captives and they would lead them captive these prisoners of war and they would use these
hooks that they would put into their cheeks and into their noses and use them to lead them away and
this is a a
Prophecy that Amos is telling them the Assyrian army will come and will take you away with hooks
They're going to take you away with fish hooks. Look at verse 3 and you shall go out at the breeches
if you remember in the ancient world the ancient world unlike our world because we
Now have a lot of technology. There's these things don't matter anymore. But in the ancient world, they did not have helicopters
They did not have airplanes. They did not have
missiles like we have today and in the ancient world when a
City was strong and prosperous the way you knew that was by the massiveness of their walls
they would build walls around the city and the bigger the wall the stronger the wall the thicker the wall the more
prosperous the more strong that city was if you remember the city of Jericho was a very
Prosperous city and God brought down those walls for the children of Israel here
They have these walls that they've used as security, but God says that you shall go out at the breeches
He says by the time the Assyrian
Military is done. There are going to be so many holes so many gaping holes in these walls
That you trust in he said you're going to actually be led they're not even going to take you to a gate
They're just going to lead you out the holes and the breeches like cattle
Every cow at that which is before her and he shall cast them into the palace saith the Lord
So I hope you notice or understand why this first section verses 1 2 & 3 can be
Can be titled ye kind of bation
Because God is telling these people
Amos is calling them kind and cows because the kind and the cows that they own are what they are putting their
Trust in and their faith in and what they are allowing
to
Move them away and draw them away from God
And God says if you're going to allow this cattle to draw you away from me
Then that's fine, and you will be let out like cattle by the Assyrian government by the Assyrian nation
look
at Amos chapter 4 in
verses 4 & 5 we find the second section of this chapter and the second section can be
Titled this come to Bethel and transgress at Gilgal multiply transgressions
We already saw the prophet Amos being pretty
Sarcastic by calling the people kind and cows and here we see him again being
Sarcastic saying he's saying if you remember if you look at the last
Words of verse number three there Amos chapter four in verse three
It says saith the Lord that phrase is repeated over and over through this chapter
You'll notice in the book of Amos that he uses repetition a lot repetition to reinforce what he's saying
These are the words of God
This is God speaking through the prophet Amos and here's what God says in verse four come to Bethel and transgress
at Gilgal
multiply
Transgressions God is inviting them to sin you say why is God doing that?
You're gonna see here in a minute why he points out these two cities
But I want you to notice that God is being sarcastic here
Go to Revelation just real quickly keep your place in Amos and go to Revelation
Oftentimes God uses sarcasm
If you read the Bible you'll notice that
There's a place in the Bible where he tells people that want to say that they are gods. He says okay
I'll call you a god, but you're gonna die like a man
And people sometimes they get confused. Well. God is calling them a god here. He's like he tells them
Yeah, I'll call you a god locates G right before you die like a man. God's obviously being sarcastic here
Here's another example Revelation 22
Notice verse 11. He says he that isn't just let him be unjust still and
He was just filthy let him be filthy still and he that is righteous
Let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still you see these types of statements that God made because you
Would say he doesn't just let me unjust still and he was just filthy let him be filthy still you say why would God
Say that you know why God says that because God's not a Calvinist
That's not gonna make you get cleaned up
If you want to live an unjustly life, and you want to live and filth God says be filth
Be filth still and here in Amos he tells the children of Israel he says come to Bethel and
transgress at Gilgal
multiply
Transgressions he points out these two cities Bethel and Gilgal
Now these were cities that had a pretty good history the past
There was a past of these histories of these cities that had a good history for both Bethel and Gilgal
Let's just look at them real quickly go to Genesis 29 28 Genesis 28
Let's look at the city Bethel
Bethel is where we'll look at it here in a minute Genesis 28 Jacob made a covenant with God and
He called it the house of God Bethel is actually
known as the house of God if you remember it's where Jacob went and slept in a cave and he had a dream and
he saw a ladder and
The ladder led to heaven and angels were ascending and descending on that ladder
And he said this must be the house of God
Genesis 28 19 the Bible says and he Jacob called the name of the place Bethel
But the name of the city was called laws at the first and Jacob vowed of owls saying if God will be with me
And will keep me in this way that I go and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on
I want you to to understand why it is that Amos was bringing up the city. He says come to Bethel and
Transgress why does he say that it's not just a random word. It's not just a random thing
He's bringing up. He brings it up for a reason why because every person in the nation of Israel
Bethel is a city on the northern part of the nation of Israel not in the southern kingdom of Judah
It's one of the cities that is the most southern city in the northern kingdom if that makes sense
And Bethel is known for this what we're reading right now Genesis 28 20
When Jacob you say who's Jacob?
Remember he gets renamed Israel
he ends up having 12 sons the 12 sons of Israel who end up becoming the 12 tribes of Israel and
The 12 tribes of Israel the northern kingdom of Israel becomes the 10 tribes of Israel the vast majority of Israel
Amos says to those northern tribes come to Bethel and transgress
when he says Bethel they would think of Genesis 28 20 the story and
Jacob vowed a vow saying if God will be with me and keep me in this way that I go I
will and will notice what Jacob says and will give me bread to eat and
Raiment to put on so that I come again to my father's house in peace then shall the Lord
Be my God the the the covenant that Jacob made with God was this God if you take care of me
If you give me bread to eat and you give me Raiment
He said I I will serve you then shall the Lord be my God
Notice verse 22 and this stone which I have set for a pillar shall be God's house
That's what Bethel's known for the house of God and of all that thou shall give me
I will surely give the tenth unto thee
This is Jacob making a promise to God to tithe by the way. This is before Moses for you scholars out there
Like say well the law tithing wasn't till the law okay. Well you obviously never read Genesis 28 I
Will surely give thee the ten hour here. I want you to stand you say well
Well, it's Jacob saying that he'll serve God if God prospers him. Here's what Jacob says I will tithe
10% of everything you prosper me
If you give me bread to eat and Raiment to put on then shall thou the Lord be my God
And I will surely give thee the tenth give the tenth unto thee
Later on God actually comes to Jacob when Jacob is now a rich man about 20 years after this and God comes to
Jacob and says I am the God of Bethel
And God is saying remember what you said
If I take care of you and prosper you tithe 10% was time to pay up, buddy
I'm the God of Bethel
Jacob
Israel made a covenant with God that said God when you prosper me all acknowledge you
I'll make sure that everyone knows that I understand that this prosperity
This well this bread this raiment comes from you, and I will surely give the tenth unto thee
Now we have Amos go back to Amos chapter 4
speaking to a very
prosperous
descendancy of Jacob
Speaking to the descendants of Israel and here's what he says come to Bethel and
transgress at Gilgal
Multiply transgressions and bring your sacrifice every morning. Don't miss it and your tithes
and
Your tithes after three years
So why does he bring up Bethel? He's reminding them
He's reminding them hey remember that the deal was this if I blessed you you would acknowledge me, but I blessed you and
You've forgotten about me
That you're supposed to come back to Bethel and tithe Jacob
You're supposed to come back and acknowledge the prosperity that I have given you he says well
Why don't you come to Bethel and transgress?
Then he brings up Gilgal
Go to Joshua real quickly Joshua chapter 5 if you're there in Genesis you have Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Joshua
If you're familiar with the book of Joshua
Joshua
The name Gilgal should pop out to you because Gilgal basically served as the headquarters for
Joshua and for the nation of Israel as they entered into the promised land during that military campaign that Joshua led them to conquer the land
Not Jerusalem and not any other place it was Gilgal where they headquartered
Gilgal is what they called home Gilgal is where they always came back to
Next time you read through the book of Joshua you got to make a note of Gilgal and the
emphasis on Gilgal Joshua 5 in verse 7 notice what the Bible says and
Their children whom he raised up in their stead
Then Joshua current circumcised
For they were uncircumcised because they had not circumcised them by the way. What is this a reference to?
If you remember Joshua has brought the children of Israel
They've crossed the Jordan River and he brought the children of Israel into the promised land
But when they get there Joshua decides that they need to circumcise the people of Israel
Why because they have not circumcised them by the way
What does that mean during the wilderness wanderings for the last 40 years as they were wandering the wilderness they were not
Practicing circumcision so when they come into the promised land Joshua decides the Bible says them Joshua
Circumcised for they were circumcised because they had not
Circumcised them by the way look at verse 8
And it came to pass when they had done
Circumcising all the people that they abode in their places in the camp till they were whole and the Lord said unto Joshua
This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you wherefore the name of the place is called
Gilgal unto this day
Gilgal becomes their headquarters and Gilgal is where they pitched where they had their tent and
Gilgal is where they circumcised the people not only did they circumcise after 40 years of not
circumcising
They it's also where they held the Passover after all the years of
not keeping the Passover look at Joshua 5 and verse 10 and the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal and
capped the Passover
so Gilgal if you would bring that up to
Somebody from the nation of Israel they would recognize that as yes
That was pretty much the headquarters where Joshua left his camp
That's where the children of Israel were circumcised after 40 years in the wilderness
And that's where they first kept the Passover in the nation of Israel
What is the Passover known for it is a sacrifice with no leaven?
What does Amos say to them look go back to Amos chapter 4 verse 5 in?
verse 4 he says come to Bethel and transgress at Gilgal multiply transgressions verse 5 and offer a sacrifice of
thanksgiving with leaven
so why is he saying this and
Proclaim and publish the free offerings for this like if you owe ye children of Israel sayeth the Lord God
Why is God telling them to come to Gilgal?
Why is he telling them to come to Bethel and transgress to Gilgal and multiply transgressions?
Why is he saying don't forget to tithe when you come here?
Why is he making these these points and why does it seem like God is being sarcastic and here's the point that God is trying
to make
You and I do not get to decide how we worship God
You and I need to make sure when we worship God we worship God the way that God designed because
Here the truth is this when it comes to Bethel and Gilgal in the past they had good history
But currently they had a bad history they had a bad state that they were in when Amos was preaching this
Let me just show that to you go to 1st Kings chapter 12 if you kept your place in Joshua
I'm not sure if you did if you kept your place in Joshua from Joshua
You have Judges, Ruth, 1st 2nd Samuel, 1st Kings, 1st Kings chapter 12 if you can find the one and two books
They're all clustered together 1st 2nd Samuel, 1st 2nd Kings, 1st 2nd Chronicles, 1st Kings chapter 12
Now remember Amos is preaching Amos if you remember Amos is a prophet from the southern kingdom of Israel
That is preaching to the northern kingdom of Israel
After King Solomon
Rehoboam his son had a split
where Rehoboam ended up being the the king of the southern kingdom of Israel and
Jeroboam became the king of the northern kingdom of Israel
There was a split in the kingdom
And that's why when you read 1st and 2nd Kings, 1st and Chronicles you have
Oftentimes storylines that go back and forth between these two different lines of Kings because some are from the southern kingdom of Israel
Some are from the northern kingdom of Israel here in 1st Kings 1228
We see a story of Jeroboam, Jeroboam who split the kingdom
with Rehoboam
1st Kings 1228 notice what the Bible says whereupon the king referring to Jeroboam
took counsel and made two don't miss it is look the Bible is so consistent. He made two what calves
What's a calf?
he made two calves of gold and
By the way, remember Aaron made a calf of gold
These things are all consistent. He made two calves of gold and said unto them it is too much for you to go up to
Jerusalem
Behold thy gods what is Jeroboam doing here?
He doesn't want the people of his new kingdom the northern kingdom of Israel
Because where was the temple where they worshiped God it was in Jerusalem in the southern kingdom
He did not want his people
To go down into the sun in the kingdom for the Passover to worship at the temple
Because they might turn on him. He thinks they might not come home. They might not turn on him
So what does he do? He makes these two golden calves
He puts one at the southern tip of the northern kingdom another at the northern
tip of the northern kingdom and he tells the people it is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem
behold thy gods O Israel which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt and he set the one in Bethel and
the other put he in Dan and
This thing became a sin for the people want to worship before the one even unto Dan
So he says these golden calves
And he says don't go down to the temple to worship. God just worship right here worship these these golden cows
You understand why Amos is calling them cattle and kind?
Not only do they have fat cattle. They've got a big old idol of a cattle
and
God is telling them
Come to Bethel and transgress
At Gilgal multiply transgressions. Here's the point look at verse 5 last part of verse 5 and
Proclaim and publish the free offerings for this like it's you you see that phrase this like it's you
Oh, he's children of Israel saith the Lord God
Here's what he's saying
This is what you like
This is what you want
You know the Bible says the Bible says that God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in
spirit and in truth
You and I do not get to decide how we want to worship God but these people God looks down
He says I see your worship. I see you in Bethel worshiping
I see you and get go worshiping Bethel and Gilgal were cities that were pretty close to each other if you remember Elijah
Excuse me, Elijah right before he got taken up in a whirlwind when Elijah was following him
He had that little tour of Israel
He went from Gilgal to Bethel the right by each other and what God is saying
I see your worship. The problem with your worship is that this like it's you
He says you like it. I don't like it
It makes you feel good. It doesn't make me feel good
And you know, I believe that God looks down at churches today and he looks down at their little rock concerts
And he says yeah this like it's you
Your little 15-minute sermon with a corrupted Bible and your rock concert and you call it church this like it's you
You like it. I don't like it
He says come to Bethel and transgress come to Gilgal and multiply transgress
You know what he's saying today? He's saying go to Joel Osteen and transgress
Go to these to Rick Warren and multiply transgression this like it's you this is worship you like this is worship you want
He says I don't like it
I'm not impressed with it
So we see the second section
It can be
Titled come to Bethel and transgress at Gilgal
multiply transgressions
Then I want you to notice the third section
The third sections covers verses 6 through 11
If you're looking for a heading for the third section, you could call it this
Yet, have he not returned unto me
If you remember Amos uses repetition a lot
Throughout the book of Amos we've seen him in different chapters use repetition over and over again
This is a phrase that comes up several times in these few verses look at the last part of verse 6
He says yet. Ye have not returned unto me saith the Lord
Look at verse 8 yet. Ye have not returned unto me saith the Lord look at verse 9
Last part of verse 9 yet. Ye have not returned unto me saith the Lord look the last part of verse 10
Yet ye have not returned unto me saith the Lord look at the last part of verse 11 yet
Ye have not returned unto me saith the Lord
These
Statements these five statements in verses 6 through 11 yet. Ye have not returned unto me saith the Lord
Actually served as an outline of
this section Amos chapter 4 verses 6 through 11
Every time that he says yet ye have not returned unto me it is the ending of a point
Amos is outlining this little sermon here and
I want you to notice what he is highlighting the first thing in this third section is
Famine notice what he says in verse 6 and I also have given you
Cleanness of teeth does that sound good cleanness of teeth is that what we all want cleanness of teeth like Joel Osteen, right?
But I want you to notice that this is a negative thing and
I also have given you cleanness of teeth. It's a bad thing because how do you get your teeth dirty?
by eating
Why do you have to floss at night to get the food out of your teeth in between your teeth?
Here Amos is saying put the floss away. You don't need to floss
I'm gonna bring you famines
God says and I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities and
Want of bread notice the famine he says you're you're gonna be in need of bread
You're not gonna have the food in all your places yet. Ye have not returned unto me saith the Lord
He says I'm going to cut the food. I'm going to bring famine. You're going to have cleanness of teeth
There'll be nothing between your teeth for you to floss out
You'll have want of bread and then God says well after I do this
I will still be saying yet you have not returned unto me
Then he says in verses seven and eight. He talks about a drought notice what he says
Verse seven and also I have withholding the rain from you
When there were yet three months to the harvest and I caused it to rain upon one city and caused it not to rain
Upon another city so one piece was rained upon and the peace whereupon it rained not withered
So two or three cities wandered unto one city to drink water, but they were not satisfied
Yet you have not returned unto me
He says I'm going to bring famine, but you will not return to me
I'm going to bring you droughts, but you will not return to me then in verse 9
He says I'm gonna bring crop failure
Look at verse 9
I've smitten you with the blasting and mildew
When your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increase the palm of worm devoured them
Yet have you not returned unto me saith the Lord
Look at verse 10. He says I'm going to bring disease and death
I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt your young men have I slain with the sword and I've
Taken you away your horses and I've made the stink of your camp to come up unto your nostrils
Yet you have not returned unto me saith the Lord notice in verse 11
He says I'm going to bring fire and judgment
I have overthrown some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and yet were as firebrands
The word firebrand means a piece of burning wood. He said ye were as firebrands
You were like a piece of burning wood plucked out of the burning yet. You have not returned unto me
You said what is he talking about?
God is reminding them that he is the source of their wealth
God is reminding them. I mean if the perfect illustration is in verse 7 and
I also have with will with Holden the rain from you and
When they were yet three months to the harvest and I caused it to rain upon one city and caused it not to rain upon
another city
One piece was rained upon and the peace war upon it rained not withered
God is saying do you understand that I'm the one who decides where the rain falls
You understand that I decide I decide God says it's gonna rain in this city
It's not gonna rain in this city. This city is gonna be withered
This city is gonna have a famine people from this city are gonna run into this city and
God says I'm the one that gave you the rain. I'm the one that gave you the bread
I'm the one that gave you the crops
I'm the one that gave you the safety and security and then God says I'm gonna take it away
But here's the problem when I take it away. You are so filled with pride. He says yeah, you shall not return unto me
You say how can this be?
You know just be a pastor for 12 years you'll see how this can be
You know what my wife and I have seen over the last 12 years of ministry I
Mean you you want to know?
Something you learn in over a decade of ministry
You know what? We've seen at Verity Baptist Church over the last 12 years. We've seen people come into this church a mess. I
mean
Unemployed
No employment not going anywhere in life. Their marriage is falling apart. Their children are falling apart issues
problems just out of control and
then they come here and
then they hear the Word of God and
We preach sermons about working hard and being disciplined getting out of debt and living a righteous life
And they get around other people that are serving God and following God and you know what they do they start a business
You know what they do they get a promotion you know what they do they get a raise you know what they do they get some
Nice furniture, and they get a nice house, and they move into a nice little neighborhood, and they start getting puffed up and
They start thinking like well look how well I'm doing and they forget that is God that decides where the rain is gonna fall
You know that's God who decides if you say well, I've got a successful business. That's cuz God decided it I
Have a great career, that's because God is blessing you
I've got all these plans. That's because God has chosen to bless you and God can take it away
You know what we've seen over the years we see those same people get backslidden
We see those same people leave
We see those same people they're not right with God. They leave this church, and you know what happens their businesses fall apart
Their marriage is fall apart
They get fired
They lose their homes
Their lives become a mess and and everybody's like oh, man. He's not too bad, and I'm thinking myself. Don't you think it's God?
Don't you think it's possible that God has taken his blessing from you, but yet have you not?
returned unto me
That's what God says I
Just want to remind you
Before you get all puffed up in your prosperity that God can take it away like this
God can take your health in a moment
God can take your job in a moment if
You're experiencing rain wherever you're having crops you better. Thank God for it. You better not get proud about it
You better not think well look how great I am look how smart I am look
I decided to plant the vineyard right here, and this is over there's where the drought is I chose the right place
No, God made it rain in the right place
God can take it away
I've seen ministries fall apart
People start showing up, and they start getting little nice offerings, and they start thinking well look over what I'm doing
You're not doing anything
I'm not doing anything
Anything we do is by the grace of God
And here God is saying I will take it all away all these things that have distracted you from me
I will take it all away yet. You have not
returned unto me
Sayeth the Lord
Go back to Amos chapter 4 and look at verse 12
Verses 12 and 13 we find the final section in this chapter
The fourth section
The heading could be titled and I think this is the best little phrase
When we talked about little phrases that pop out at you in the Word of God, this is one of these phrases
In Amos chapter 4 and verse 12
Amos says therefore thus will I do unto thee O Israel and
Because I will do this unto thee I want you to notice this little phrase you ought to underline it in your Bible
You ought to highlight it in your Bible. He says
Prepare to meet thy God
Those are some scary words
He says I gave you the rain I gave you the cattle I gave you the riches I gave you the wealth
I'm gonna take it all away
Therefore thus will I do unto thee O Israel and because I will do this unto thee
Prepare to meet thy God O Israel
This little section could just be titled verses 12 and 13
Prepare to meet thy God
Go to Hebrews just real quickly if you would Hebrews chapter 9 towards the end of the New Testament. We're almost done
You start at Revelation and go backwards. You have Jude third second and first John second and first Peter James then Hebrews
Hebrews chapter 9
Amos says prepare to meet thy God O Israel
You know that there is a set day of judgment for all people
Everybody
saved or unsaved
Every person who's ever lived has an appointment to meet their God
Whether they acknowledge him as God or not
Whether they believe in him or not
Amos, excuse me Hebrews 9 and verse 27 the Bible says and as it is appointed unto men once to die
But after this the judgment
You say which judgment it doesn't matter anybody who dies is going to a judgment
Now
The Bible teaches and I'm not going to take the time to have you run through all the verses you can study this out on
Your own the Bible teaches that there are two judgments that that will be held for all mankind
One judgment is for unbelievers
It is called the great white throne judgment and it is where they will be judged for their works before they get cast into
Hell no one will be good enough to go to heaven based on their works. They will all be found wanting
You say well praise the Lord you and I aren't going to that judgment. Well, there's a judgment for you and I as well
It's called the judgment seat of Christ
In that judgment, you know what God well
You know what we're gonna get judged for not for salvation
It's not about going to heaven or going to hell anybody at the judgment seat of Christ already gonna go to heaven
At that judgment you and I will be judged for what we did with what God gave us
When God made it rain in your field
When God kept the disease from your farm
Not a lot of the cattle to be fat in your land
God says I gave you that was resources and
He's going to judge you and I for what was done in our bodies
and
As it is appointed unto men wants to die, but after this the judgment
Let me just share a couple verses with you. Look at Hebrews 4 and verse 13. You're there in Hebrews 9 look at Hebrews 4 13
There's a day of judgment coming for all
and
Isn't that a crazy thought think about this every human being
saved or unsaved
Christian or non-christian Muslim Hindu it doesn't matter any human being that's ever lived on his earth has an appointment
There's a calendar in heaven and it has an appointment with a day where every single human being
Will meet with God
You will meet with God I
Will meet with God
And it'll be a personal judgment. It will not be done collectively. I'm sorry. I will not be there as your pastor
And you will not be there as my church people
Your wife will not be there. Your husband will not be there. Your parents will not be there
Your children will not be there. It will be you and God
Hebrews 4 13 neither. Is there any creature that is not
manifest in his sight but all things are naked and
Open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do
God is watching you
God knows everything about you
There neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight
There's nobody that he does not see
Maybe your wife didn't see it
Maybe your parents didn't see it
But God saw it
But all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do
You say well, what do we do?
What do we do with this idea that there is a set day of judgment for all people to meet God either go to
The great white throne or the judgment seat of Christ. What do we do with that?
well
Go to Hebrews chapter 10. I
Would advise that you take the advice of Amos the prophet
Prepare to meet thy God
Hebrews 10 and verse 31 notice what the Bible says Hebrews 10 31. It is a fearful thing
to fall
into the hands of the living God
You know that every single human being every single human being should spend their lives preparing to meet the God that gave them life
So faster, what do you think I should do with my life?
I think you should do with your life what every other Christian every other person in this world should do with their life
Every human being I believe I agree with Amos should spend their lives
preparing to meet their God
Amos chapter 4 look at verse 13. We'll finish off
Amos chapter 4 13 you said how do unbelievers prefer to meet their God they get saved
How do believers prefer to meet their God they get right with God
They use the resources that God has given them the health and the wealth the pressures and the talents the time and the ability
The resources they use them for the glory of God why because every single one of us ought to spend every day of our lives
preparing to meet our God
Amos 4 12 therefore thus will I do unto thee O Israel
And because I will do this unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel
Look at verse 13 for lo
He that formeth the mountains consider this
Consider this
About the day that you meet God
Not when your friend or your buddy or your neighbor when you meet God
Because you have a day set to meet with God and as it is appointed unto men wants to die
But after this the judgment
For lo he that formeth the mountains and created the wind
Who am I gonna meet you're gonna meet the one who formed the mountains
You're gonna meet the one that created the winds
for he that formeth the mountains and created the winds and
Declareth unto man what is his thoughts?
Think about that
You know, you're not gonna have to speak at this judgment God is gonna declare to you what your thoughts aren't
He knows everything about you
That make it the morning darkness and treadeth upon the high place of the earth the Lord the God of hosts
Is his name?
So, how should I spend tomorrow
preparing to meet thy God
What about the next day preparing to meet thy God
What about when I decide what job I'm going to take if I'm gonna take a job that's gonna pull me away from church
Maybe you ought to consider that you ought to prepare to meet thy God
And that it is the God that gives you the ability to work
When you wake up tomorrow and you ask yourself should I read the Bible today on nine chapters of thing things over
But maybe should I read the Bible or should I just go on Facebook?
You got to have this thought I need to prepare to meet my God
Prepare to meet thy God
It's what every person should spend their lives doing
We should all spend our lives preparing to meet the God that gave us life
Spot heads and have water prayer come my father
Little be thank you for this chapter
They say it's archaic
Sounds pretty up-to-date to me
I
There are Christians and bars right now saying bring and let us drink
They should be preparing to meet their God
Lord I pray that you'd help us. I
Pray that you'd help us to realize that we've been given a great opportunity
We've been given the oracles of God
We've been given freedom in this country to preach the gospel to go door to door
Help us to prepare to meet our God I
Pray that you would help us to live with judgment in mind
Not in a negative way, but in a positive way to serve God to love God
To live for God with all our might the matchless name of Christ we pray
Amen
All right, we're gonna have brother RJ come up and lead us in a final song
Just want to give you a couple of reminders first of all, don't forget that this Friday at 6 30 p.m
Is the married couple sweetheart banquet? So if you've signed up for it, we want you to be here
Of course, don't want you to not forget about that
We'll have a nice dinner for you at 6 30 in the fellowship hall
And then we'll have a short challenge from the Word of God and then we'll play the not so newlywed game
It's always a fun time and I think you'll have a great time
And then we also want you to not forget that this
Sunday is I love my church Sunday on
Saturday if you could be here for our 10 a.m. Soul winning rally. We're gonna be handing these out
for our soul winning time and
We want you to be thinking about obviously for soul when you want to invite people to I love my church Sunday
But we want you to be thinking about anybody that you could invite a friend a co-worker a neighbor a family member
Make sure that you're here for I love my church Sunday try to bring someone with you to I love my church Sunday
It's much easier to invite a guest to an event like this and we're gonna have the pink vanilla and caramel Valentine's Day popcorn
That will be given out the choir and the orchestra have special music and then Sunday night
We'll have a potluck and we'll have a good time to fellowship with that
Just want to encourage you to keep all those things in mind be in prayer for those things
If there's anything we can do for you, please let us know why brother RJ come up and lead us in a final song
Man, let's grab our song books and turn to page number 304. Sorry. I'm changing that up song number
304
I'm gonna close the service with
nothing between my soul and the Savior
Not of this world the lucid dream. I have renounced all sins and pleasure nothing between let's sing it out
It's all number 304. So you get with some passion. All right
Nothing between my soul and my Savior not of this world
Sajid I have renounce all sinful pleasure
Jesus is mine. There's nothing between
Nothing between my soul and my Savior so that his blessed face may be seen
nothing preventing
Obvious favor keep the way clear
and nothing between
nothing between like
worldly pleasure
habits of life though harmless they seem
Muslim my heart from him ever severed. He is my own. There's nothing between
Nothing between my soul and the Savior so that his blessed face may be seen
nothing preventing the least of his favor
Let nothing between on the third
nothing between like pride or like stations tell for friends shall not
Intervene and though it may cost me much
Tribulation I am resolved. There's nothing between
Nothing between my soul and the Savior so that his blessed face may be seen
Nothing preventing the least of his favor
Keep the way clear. Let nothing between sing it out on the last
Nothing between many hard trials though the whole world
against me can be
watching with prayer and much shall denial
I'll try my last with nothing between
Nothing between my soul and my Savior so that his blessed face may be seen
Nothing preventing the least of his favor
Keep the way clear and nothing between
Amen great seeing brother Josh. Just tell him would you dismisses with a word of prayer senior?
You